Gintautas Silinskas

Children’s poor academic performance evokes parental homework assistance—but does it help?:

This study investigated the longitudinal associations between type of parental homework assistance and children’s academic performance during grade 1 and grade 2. The reading and math skills of 2,261 children were measured three times during grade 1 and grade 2, and the children’s mothers and fathers filled in questionnaires on the type of homework assistance they engaged in. The results showed that the worse reading and math skills children showed at the beginning of grade 1 and grade 2, the more monitoring and helping with homework parents reported later on. The results suggest, overall, that children’s academic performance has an “evocative impact” on their parents’ behavior.

Task-Focused Behavior Mediates the Associations Between Supportive Interpersonal Environments and Students’ Academic Performance

In the longitudinal study presented here, we tested the theoretical assumption that children’s task-focused behavior in learning situations mediates the associations between supportive interpersonal environments and academic performance. The sample consisted of 2,137 Finnish-speaking children. Data on supportive interpersonal environments (characterized by authoritative parenting, positive teacher affect toward the child, and peer acceptance) were gathered in Grade 1. The children’s task-focused behavior was measured in Grades 2 and 3, and academic performance was measured in Grades 1 and 4. The results supported our assumption by showing that all three supportive environments were positively associated with children’s subsequent academic performance via increased task-focused behavior in learning situations. These findings suggest that students’ academic performance can be promoted by increasing the support they receive from peers, parents, and teachers because such increased support leads to better task focus in learning tasks.

Patterns of word reading skill, interest and self-concept of ability

Abstract The majority of previous research on academic skills, self-concept of ability and interest has deployed the variable-oriented approach and focused on self-concept, or ability, or interest only. This study examined the patterns and dynamics of pattern change in Finnish children’s word reading skill, self-concept of ability and interest from kindergarten to Grade 2. Six groups of children were identified by using the I-states as objects analysis (ISOA) procedure: (a) low skills, negative self-concept but high interest; (b) high skills but low interest; (c) average; (d) high skills, positive self-concept and high interest; (e) low skills, negative self-concept and low interest; and (f) positive self-concept but low interest. The typically occurring transitions between groups were characterised by changes in either reading-related interest or simultaneously in self-concept and skills. Gender, risk for reading difficulties (RD), being an early reader, mother’s level of education and home literacy environment predicted group membership in kindergarten, and gender, RD risk, being an early reader, and mother’s level of education also predicted transitions between groups.

The effects of children’s reading skills and interest on teacher perceptions of children’s skills and individualized support

This study examined the effects of children’s reading skills and interest in reading-related tasks on teacher perceptions of children’s literacy skills (reading and spelling) and the respective individualized support for children during the first two years of formal schooling. The participants were 334 children and their classroom teachers. Identical measures were administered at three time points (at the beginning of Grade 1 and at the end of Grades 1 and 2). Children’s reading skills were assessed with the word reading fluency test, and their interest in reading was assessed with self-reports. Also, teachers evaluated each child’s level of reading and spelling skills and reported the level of individual literacy support they provided. The results showed that children’s poor skills in reading at the beginning of Grade 1 were related to both teacher perceptions of children’s skills as being poor and to increased support at the end of Grade 1. In turn, teacher perceptions of children’s skills as being poor at the end of Grade 1 were related to more support at the end of Grade 2. Moreover, children’s reading skills at the beginning of school had an indirect effect via teacher perceptions at the end of Grade 1 on teacher support in Grade 2. The findings underscore the importance of examining the role of teacher perceptions in providing individualized support during literacy activities.

Children evoke similar affective and instructional responses from their teachers and mothers

In the present study, we examined the extent to which the responses of teachers and mothers toward a particular child are similar in respect to their instructional support and affect, and whether child characteristics predict these responses. The data of 373 Finnish child–teacher–mother triads (178 girls, 195 boys) were analysed. Teachers and mothers reported their instructional support and affective responses toward a child in the school/homework context in Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4. At the beginning of Grade 1, the children’s performance in reading and math was tested, and teachers evaluated the children’s externalizing and internalizing problem behaviour. The results demonstrated that mothers and teachers showed similar instructional support and affective responses toward a particular child at the end of Grade 1. Moreover, children’s poor performance in reading and math at the beginning of Grade 1 was associated with high amounts of both teachers’ and mothers’ instructional support at the end of Grade 1, while children’s externalizing problem behaviour was strongly related particularly to teachers’ but also to mothers’ negative affective responses at the end of Grade 1. The results provide evidence for the evocative impact of child characteristics on the child’s interpersonal environment at the start of child’s school career.

Cross-Lagged Associations Between Problem Behaviors and Teacher-Student Relationships in Early Adolescence:

This study investigated the cross-lagged associations between teacher-student relationships and problem behaviors in a sample of 440 Finnish students (half of them identified as being at risk of reading difficulties). The degree to which these associations were moderated by a child’s gender, academic performance, risk for reading difficulties, parental education, and having the same teacher over 2 years was examined. The teachers evaluated the students’ problem behaviors and reported closeness and conflict with a particular student. The results showed that the higher the students scored on externalizing problems in Grade 4, the more conflict teachers reported 2 years later. Moderator analyses revealed that internalizing problems predicted higher levels of closeness for boys only. Conflict predicted internalizing problems among students who had the same teacher across the 2 years. The results emphasize the importance of investigating the transactional links in different subgroups.

Parental Involvement in Math Homework: Links to Children’s Performance and Motivation

ABSTRACT The present study examined the longitudinal associations between children’s perceptions of parental involvement in math homework (control and support) and their math performance and motivation (task-persistent homework behavior and math self-concept). Children (n = 512) reported their perceptions concerning parental involvement in sixth-grade math homework. In grades 3 and 6, children completed math tests, evaluated own math self-concept, and their mothers (n = 420) evaluated task persistence during homework. The results showed that low self-concept in math predicted increased parental control, which in turn related to low math performance, task persistence, and math self-concept. Second, perceived parental support was related to increased task persistence during homework. Finally, parental control was especially detrimental for boys’ task persistence and math self-concept.

Parents and their children's school lives - Commentary on the special issue, 'parents' role in children's school lives'

Although it is teachers who play the key role in supporting children’s learning and theiracademicdevelopmentatschool,parentstoocanbeinvolvedintheirchildren’sacademiclives in many different ways. As the vast majority of parents consider academicachievement and adjustment to be important for their children’s future, parents oftenmake an effort to support their children’s learning, such as helping them with theirhomework. Many kinds of parental involvement have been described in the literature,although not all of them have been shown to be effective in promoting children’sacademic development (Chen & Stevenson, 1989; Cooper, Lindsay, & Nye, 2000; Fan CLevinet al.,1997;Patall,Cooper,RPomerantz,Moorman,LSilinskas,Niemi,Lerkkanen,NSilinskaset al.,2012).Inthisspecial issue, a number of scholars present their empirical findings on various aspects ofparental involvement, such as parental self-efficacy (Junttila & Vauras), socio-emotionalsupportandinstructionalbehaviours(Pino-Pasternak),parentalpragmaticandsocio-emo-tional support (Zhu, Tse, Cheung & Oyserman), parental involvement in children’shomework (i.e., autonomy support, control, interference, and cognitive engagement),parental goals and perceptions of children’s academic efficacy (Gonida & Cortina), andparents’ emotional support (Bouffard, Cote & Vezeau).The articles in this special issue also focus on many cognitive and motivationaloutcomes among children, such as agency beliefs; achievement goals (mastery- vs.performance-oriented tendencies; Gonida & Cortina; Pino-Pasternak); school-relatedsocial competence (Junttila & Vauras); possible selves, strategies, and the subjectivelikelihood of attaining these possible selves (Zhu et al.); self-evaluation bias andperceptionoftheavailabilityofparentalemotionalsupport(Bouffardet al.);andacademicself-efficacy (Gonida & Cortina). Several articles also examine the extent to which thesecognitive and motivational factors mediate the impact of parental involvement onchildren’s academic functioning (Bouffard et al.) and achievement (Gonida & Cortina).Theoretical assumptionsSeveral theories can be applied to explain the findings presented in the articles in thisspecial issue. Without exception, all the authors assume that it is parents who influence